The Ypsilanti Courier
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Mother of burned son is sentenced
Ypsi Township woman sentenced for up to four years for abusing her son
By Kathleen Conat, Special Writer
PUBLISHED: October 13, 2005
The mother who allowed her 7-year-old son to suffer with third-degree burns for nearly two weeks before calling for help has been sentenced to prison.
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Stephanie Williams, 35, of Ypsilanti Township, was sentenced to 23 to 48 months on two counts of second-degree child abuse and 1-1/2 to 14 years on eight counts of check forgery.
The sentences will run concurrently. Williams will spend less time in prison for the child abuse than for the check forgery.
"This is about the worst case of child abuse I've ever seen," said Washtenaw County Circuit Court Judge Donald Shelton during the sentencing hearing. "It's almost incomprehensible to me that your child was brought out of the tub with flesh falling from his feet and you decided to do nothing."
According to investigators, Williams' live-in partner, Byron McFarlin, forced her son into a tub of water so hot it peeled the skin for the boy's feet and legs. The boy was denied medical attention for almost two weeks, during which time Williams called his school to report him ill and showed up at her own job as a teacher's aide at Perry Child Development Center.
Investigators said McFarlin, who stayed home with the boy, his sister and McFarlin's own infant son by Williams, denied the boy food, allowing him only water. He was forced to stay on the floor of a closet when he wet the bed because he could not walk to the bathroom.
Williams finally called authorities to help her get the boy medical aid when his wounds became infected. The child was hospitalized for a month and doctors discussed amputating toes or even a whole foot. He will, according to medical reports, require plastic surgery.
Williams admitted that during the time the boy was suffering she struck him with a belt on McFarlin's orders and smoked crack cocaine with McFarlin.
"I think you traded your son's safety for some drugs," Shelton told her at the hearing.
Williams cried while explaining to the judge that she had been the victim of domestic violence. She said she had changed her life.
"I would like to ask my son and daughter for forgiveness," she said.
Shelton acknowledged Williams was not the one who forced the child into the scalding water, but said she had, nonetheless, betrayed her child.
"I hope you never have another child entrusted to your care," he said.
As sheriff's deputies approached Williams to lead her away, she collapsed to the floor of the courtroom, sobbing.
Williams will be eligible for parole after 23 months. McFarlin was convicted of first-degree child abuse earlier this year and sentenced to six to 15 years in prison. He agreed to the termination of his parental rights to his infant son.
A hearing is scheduled for this week to consider whether Williams' parental rights will be terminated.
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